dhurrung – Wadawurrung
chroi – Gaeilge
heart – English
For the stranger’s land may be bright and fair
And rich in all treasures golden
You’ll pine, I know, for the long, long ago
And the heart that is never olden
A Stór Mo Chroi (Treasure of my heart)
Three languages, three artists, two seas and an ocean. Come Home is a screen arts project about longing and belonging, a series of installation screenings across Ireland and Australia in 2023. Come Home is about leaving home, missing home, seeking home and sharing home. The title also acts as an offer of shelter, a welcome call to share ‘home’.
These artists, Erin M McCuskey, Dr Deanne Gilson and Tammy Gilson, explore the past, culture and time in their works, it is the concept of ‘home’ that holds their works together. It is the oral traditions of Irish and Aboriginal culture based in sharing stories, music, and dance.
Come Home launched recently with a screening of works-in-progress,‘Precious Fragments’, a series of film studies that explore longing and belonging through the idea of ‘home’ – in three languages: Wadawurrung (First Peoples), Gaeilge (Irish) and Australian (English) – two historically prohibited, the other the most common spoken language in the world. The works explore language as belonging, where language includes word, dance and cinematic convention. These film works were developed during the second year of the pandemic with support from Creative Victoria Creators Fund.
Urgent universal conversations about who we want to be demand we take stock of and reflect on our past. If we look to who we are, our shared experiences, where we come from, what pulls at our heart, together we can Come Home.
How you can be involved:
In the coming days and months we will be asking you to join us in responding to provocations and questions about longing and belonging. There are no right or wrong answers, only your answer/s. You can write, record or dance from wherever you are who ever you are. The first one will be Feb 1st on Wadawurrung Country. Please subscribe below for invitations.
About the artists:
Éireann (Erin) McCuskey works between the realms of art and cinema creating a solid audience for her works and engagements. Local and international screenings and connections will support her to engage in universal discussions about human rights through screen culture. A child of immigrants she is currently studying Gaeilge with aims to link and share our cultural capacities. She will work in collaboration with Wadaurrung artists, the Gilson sisters.
Dr Deanne Gilson is a contemporary visual artist reflecting the colonial gaze to strengthen and regain her identity. Her work has recently been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria. Tammy Gilson is sought after as a traditional dancer, language speaker and award-winning fibre artist with an extensive knowledge of cultural heritage. Tammy’s spiritual connection to her ancestors and country has guided her to revitalise and continue cultural practices today.
The Gilson sisters are proud Wadawurrung women with mixed English/Irish heritage, living on Nan’s Country, their ancestral Country. Sharing their work on an international stage will provide opportunities to share the stories of First Peoples in a way that both protects and reflects Aboriginal leadership and shared heritage supports the work of the Uluru Statement – Truth, Treaty and Voice. Their work is uniquely placed to shine a light on the space between cultures to learn where we belong.
Connect with us:
- Follow along on insta here: JOIN US ON INSTA
- Subscribe for invitations here: SIGN UP FOR IRREGULAR NEWS
- Drop us a line about ‘belonging’ here: LETS TALK
- Email us here: EMAIL US
- or Book in for a session here: https://comehomeproject.eventbrite.com.au
If you like to read you might enjoy the Come Home Journal which will be added to for the life of the project.
The Come Home project is supported by a number of generous government bodies, organisations, community and corporate sponsors.
